Rainy weather has wreaked havoc on fishing and small game action in the Lehigh Valley, but better days are ahead as we set up for the brief fall turkey season that opens on Saturday.

We're a few days from November, but hunters are already reporting that the bucks are starting to turn on to the does in advance of the rut.

Wallenpaupack Sports Shop, Hawley (570-226-4797): Mark says the streams are so high from the rain that no one has

been fishing, but the lake hass been good for smallmouth bass in the 3-5-pound range using live bait from the shore. For deer hunting, the does are being followed closely by bucks, and several archers have stopped by the shop with seven- and eight-pointers. Woodcock and squirrel hunters have also been very successful.Peck's Pond Store, Dingmans Ferry, (570-775-7237): peckspondrentals@yahoo.comwww.peckspond.comThe shop is closed for the winter. Four Seasons Sporting Goods, Jim Thorpe (570-325-4364): Brian says not many reports have been coming in for fishing. Most sportsmen and women are turning to hunting at this point. The weather hasn't been conducive to hunting on the weekends, either. This is the first time this year there were so few reports. With the mild temperatures, it's still a good time to get out there. Willie's Bait & Tackle, Cementon (610-261-2767): Willie says the Lehigh is way up, as are the creeks. Before that, the anglers at the Falls were nailing trout with a few smallmouth bass mixed in. The Little Lehigh was also good before the rain, but that was because of a stocking, and that's been fished down pretty well at this point. A few people are doing well at Mauch Chunk for largemouth bass. Crappies were on a White Deer Lake. The shop is getting reports of doe harvests, but not much on buck. A dozen turkeys have been seen near Cherryville. Backwoods Angler Guide Service, Bethlehem, (610-868-9349) www.backwoodsangler.comBlaine says the Delaware River finally got some water, maybe too much. The gauge at Belvidere was at 7.5 feet with deeply stained water in the 50-degree range. His last trip had high dirty water, and low fish numbers, but the smallies that were hitting on Mizmo tubes and spinner baits were good quality fish. He's targeting deeper cover like concrete and boulder-laden eddies with some good pockets or calm water. Some of the fish were hooked near wintering holes, so try pockets and eddies and the tail-outs of eddies where they merge with the calm water. The main stem of the Susquehanna prior to the rain was really hot. Chris reported 60-80 fish days with most fish in the 2.5-4 pound fish on tubes and suspending jerk baits. Little Lehigh Fly Shop, Allentown, (610-797-5599)www.littlelehighflyshop.comThe Little Lehigh was muddy and high with lots of leaves after the heavy rains of the past few days. Rod suggests you pretend you're bass fishing and go with patterns that move like sculpins, crawfish and large Woolley buggers. The stream was at 2.79 feet and flowing at 257 cfs on Thursday.Archery @ The Glenn, Allentown, (610-791-7665): Some nice trout are left in the Little Lehigh, with most of the customers catching their three-fish limit. Mark from the shop caught and released a 22-inch brown trout on the Little Lehigh. Owner John Glenn shot a nice 8-pointer and Pete Bresnik shot a 7-pointer, both at South Mountain on Monday morning.Mike's Bait & Sports Shop, Nazareth, (610-759-2905): The trout action was hot on the Bushkill, but the rain has swelled the creek over its banks right now so it won't be fishable for a few days. Action at Beltzville has been slow, but anglers are finding some success. Striper action started in the ocean, but the run of bad weather turned it off. Hunting broke loose for several customers on Wednesday, who reported in with some big-racked bucks that had been chasing doe. It's almost rut time.Klotz's Bait Shop, Hellertown (610-838-7970): Caroline says the fishing has been very slow. Anglers are still fishing the Saucon or going to the Mountains.Rick's Bait & Tackle, Maiden Creek (610-926-8888): Jim says they're catching bass and crappies at Ontelaunee and trout at Kaercher's Creek and Antietam. Big flatheads are being caught on the Susquehanna near Safe Harbor.Nockamixon Sports Shop, 808 Doylestown Pike, Quakertown (215-538-9553): Matt says there has been some good catfishing, plu bass and smallmouth action at Lake Nockamixon. The bass have been hitting on 7-10-inch worms on black or motor oil color. Catfish were going after medium shiners. Walleyes are still inactive, but the pickerel bite has picked up, along with muskies. The Delaware is covered with leaves, but guys are reporting smallies, so use some heavyweight lures like plastic worms with a Carolina rig instead of crank baits. Hopefully the big stripers will be turning on at the lake in the next week or two. Lake Galena is still good for largemouth bass and perch, mainly from shore on medium shiners. Hunters are reporting signs of the rut. One hunter who harvested a nine-pointer was using deer estrous. SALTWATER REPORTPOINT PLEASANTCapt. John Brackett of the Queen Mary(732-899-3766)www.njqueenmary.com/FishingRpt.htmCapt Dave Riback's Purple Jet(1-888-780-TUNA)www.purplejet.comCapt. Dave said that the weather has been tough but when he does get out, they've found leeper stripers up to 34 inches, along with big bluefish up to 14 pounds and short bass.He is trying to get together open boat trips on Nov. 6, 9 and 16 at $150 per person with a limit of six passengers. Call Capt. Dave at 732-996-2579 to reserve a spot.Capt. Chris Gatley of the Ardent Angler Guide Service, Milford, N.J. (267-253-5290)www.ardentangler.orgVideos on www.catchthebite.comNORTH JERSEYThe Tackle Box in Hazlet (732-264-7711)www.striperspecial.com/home.htmlPhil says the weather has been bad, the surf is up, but there are bass up to 21 pounds on the bay and river side of Sandy Hook up to 21 pounds. There are also some bass in the nay by Kingsburg. The last boats that went out had success using eels as bait in Sandy Hook.BARNEGAT BAYBrielle Tackle (732-528-5720):www.brielletackle.comLittle Egg Inlet: Scott's Bait & Tackle (609-296-1300)www.scottsbt.comScott says there have been lots of stripers in the 16-13 pound range weighed in, and they weighed in a monster at 41 pounds, 1 ounce. The inlet is stubborn with the fish, so many anglers are heading to the bay and back bay holes. Surf fishing has produced a 13-pounder and 21-pounder this week. There's no intent to fish for anything other than stripers because everything else has been picked at for the last six weeks.Seaside Park: Betty & Nicks Bait & Tackle (732-793-2708)www.bettyandnicks.com, place your cursor on the red tab that reads "B&NINFO" and click on "Fishing Report." Ship Bottom: Fishermen's Headquarters (609-494-5739)http://fishing_report.home.comcast.net/~fishing_report/1.htmlBeach Haven: Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association (www.fishbeachhaven.com)SOUTH JERSEYCapt. Brian DiLeo Iowa Fortune Guide Service (609-432-6618).www.iowafortune.comDaily reports can be found at www.iowafortune.comDELAWARE BAY FROM N.J.Capt. Tim SmithBodacious Sport Fishing856-785-1205 (day), 856-447-5000 (evening), 609-820-2019 (boat)www.bodaciousnj.comFishing reports on the website.DELAWARERehoboth Beach, Del.:Old Inlet Bait & Tackle (302-227-7974)www.oldinlet.comThe fishing is picking back up after the two Nor'easters have cleared. The water is clearing up, yielding great tautog fishing on the inlet. Stripers are hot now, with a few more keepers in the mix on the daytime incoming tide, and they're hitting anything that moves. The surf fishing hasn't been as good because of the weather, but there had been big blues up to 30 inches before the weather came in.